FX's 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' Returns to Solid Ratings

FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia returned for its seventh season improving in total tune-in upon last year's opener.

It's Always Sunny attracted 2.3 million total viewers at 10 p.m. on Thursday night, up 3 percent from the sixth season premiere, which lured 2.22 million. FX is attributing the rise to an "influx in women," with all three key female demographics (women 18-34: up 25 percent; women 18-49: up 14 percent; and women 25-54: up 2 percent) saw gains year-over-year.

The raunchy comedy did see a 5 percent dropoff among adults 18-49 (1.75 million vs. 1.83 million).

Following It's Always Sunny, the first of a three-week run for animated series Archer sank from its second season premiere earlier this year in total viewers (1.2 million vs. 1.5 million) and the ad-coveted demo (0.83 vs. 0.92).

Likely due to the rise It's Always Sunny experienced in the female demos, the same was true for Archer; the half-hour comedy saw improvements among women 18-49 and nearly double in women 18-34.

After the first three episodes from the third season air this fall, the remaining 13 will return next year.

FX announced Thursday that it had picked up a series from the team behind It's Always Sunny.